Whyteleafe, Surrey UK to Cape Town

Over four years ago, BCE, I decided it would be quite a good idea to climb upon my motorbike one day, nip down to Dover for the ferry, and head off for Cape Town.
(Note: BCE – Before Charley and Ewan).

Since I started learning Spanish many years ago, I've always thought it a wonderful language, full of romantic quirkiness. My bachelor Spanish teacher (in Spain) would emphasise to us foreigners, with some glee, that the Spanish for 'wives' was the same as the Spanish for 'handcuffs'.

esposa [es-po'-sah]
noun
1. Spouse, wife, consort. (f)
noun, plural

Did anyone see that press release from Aerostitch in the US?
I bought their tank panniers and other stuff through their website, so now I receive the usual regular sales emails.
Well, they've just announced the arrival of.........

............ the *must-have* bikers' bling of 2009 .........

the Remote-Controlled Zipper!

As this Cape Town adventure is still five months away (only five months??? Oh s*^#*!!), and recent preparation only comprises ordering a new starter motor for the TTR (an acknowledged weak point), here's a brief account of part of our previous trip to Istanbul by Ducati 900SS. A sort of reflection before heading off across the Bosphorus again.

I would guess that lots of present-day bikers inherited their biking bug from one or other of their parents, probably their dad. The same with me...... So this is a bit of an indulgent look at his story.

Down the pub the other evening, a couple of friends asked why I've fitted a trombone to the front of my bike."What trombone, where?"

I see there are 'Yoga for Motorcyclists' sessions at the Horizons Unlimited June meeting in Ripley, and I'd recommend them to anyone. If you associate yoga with 'happy-clappy celebrity' nonsense, you should go along and see and do the real thing for yourself.

I’ve been practising yoga for more years than I can remember, about eighteen I think.

The box I'm planning to bolt onto the rack is an old NonFango plastic one. I have a newer version NonFango box on my Honda Dominator. It used to be on my Ducati that took us to Moscow and Istanbul carrying luggage for two. Also to the Pyrennes and Spain, to Paris, and to Lisbon, all with luggage for two, and to North Cape and 3000 miles around eastern Europe carrying luggage for one.

No, it’s not Tennis and it’s not Cricket. And it’s been a long long time since I ever had regular contact with the Wimbledon & District Motorcycle Club, but I still see a few old-time ex-members down the pub now and again. I’m sure one of them plays the trombone…..Anyway, the Club is giving me a problem.
I’m one of the proud owners of the solid steel, heavily chrome-plated, enamelled, individually numbered machine badges that were made back in the 1960s.

A lengthy project, spanning too many weekends, has just come to a conclusion. A successful one we hope but only time and the African terrain will tell.

No, I’ve never heard of him, and no relation either.

"The mode of locomotion should be slow, the slower the better, and be often interrupted by leisurely halts to sit on vantage points and stop at question marks."
Carl Sauer, the president's address to the Association of American Geographers. Montreal, Canada, April 4, 1956.

Very nice quotation that. It seems we should expect plenty of interruptions on our journeys. Ted Simon says that too.
And question marks.

The Horizons Unlimited meeting at Ripley the other weekend was a brilliant affair, a chance to do a minor dummy-run on all the equipment and systems.

Firstly the luggage. I wanted to take all that I would be likely to carry on the Africa trip, so I loaded it all up.

We’ll have the good news first.

At last, we have a new arrival in our little paddock.

After much searching and viewing and rejecting and searching again, Beau has just chosen and brought home his bike for this great trip.

My memory being like a happily gurgling drain, it's no longer capable of handling this adventure. Toooo many things to remember and to think about.
So I'm employing what might be called the 'Classic Expedition Planning Method'.

I’ve had a kind request to reveal the full story of our visit to the Isle of Man International Six Days Trial many many years ago. Which would link in nicely with all the debate on the HUBB about soft luggage v. hard luggage, and the danger of the former bursting into flames if too close to the bike’s exhaust.

Well, it’s not only soft luggage that can have that problem.

Went to the dentist the other day. Was due a checkup anyway, but common advice is to have your teeth checked before a long trip to far-away places.
The man with the big drill and pliers persuaded me to have the remains of a tooth removed. A large piece had broken off of it about 8 years ago.
“A direct off-road route for bacteria straight into your jaw!” he said.
So he wriggled and jiggled with his pliers, surprisingly gently, and announced, “All done!”

Give Me My Eleven Days Back!

What I omitted to say, when deciding on the 14th September to start this trip, is that my calendar is a little bit second-hand - Ancient even.

Here's the page for September:

Yes, it's for 1752, but I did say it was old and has been recycled a lot.

Today's the Second, so tomorrow's the Fourteenth and we depart on the great adventure.

Hope everyone is ready.

Last Entry in this category, 'UK Preparation'.
The day of departure has arrived after living in oily overalls for what seems like a couple of years. Probably it has been a couple of years.
Preparation is done, luggage is loaded, trial runs undertaken.

Final configuration is here:

and here:

The last run round the block yesterday.